Parkinson, who has a number of previous convictions on his record including assault, threatening behaviour and robbery, pleaded guilty to affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at an earlier hearing.

Amy Earnshaw, defending, said Parkinson had a degenerative eye condition that had led to him being registered as ‘legally blind’ and undergone surgery on his eye.

Ms Earnshaw claimed that Parkinson did not receive adequate medical care during a recent custodial sentence he served for escaping prison, and as a consequence his condition had deteriorated further.

“It’s clear from the general practitioner that deals with Mr Parkinson he has very real concerns that his condition can’t be managed in a prison environment,” she said, and urged Judge Graham Reeds QC not to sentence Parkinson to an immediate prison sentence so he could receive the medical treatment he needs.

Ms Earnshaw told the court that Parkinson had drunk heavily the day before he committed the offences, because of his ‘inability to cope’ with a recent diagnosis concerning his eye condition, and could not remember what had happened.

Judge Reeds said a medical examination conducted soon after Parkinson’s release from prison last year revealed that his condition had not significantly deteriorated during his time in prison; adding that whilst his condition had become worse since his release he did not accept Ms Earnshaw’s assertion that Parkinson would not be ‘properly cared for in prison’.

Judge Reeds said he felt able to send Parkinson to prison, and jailed him for 18 months.

“This case should send a clear message that assaults on hospital workers and other emergency staff will be treated seriously by the courts.

“Your counsel was instructed to mitigate that you had been drinking on the night before, and say you couldn’t remember what happened.